New GOP challenger in Russ Carnahan’s (D, MO-03) seat.

This one is causing some commentary, behind the scenes: former Blunt chief of staff Ed Martin has started an exploratory committee to run in Carnahan’s district, which includes large parts of the St. Louis area. CQ Politics currently rates the seat as “Safe Democrat:” Cook reports the district as being D+7; and Carnahan is from the third generation of a powerful Missouri political family.

Actually, that last factor may suggest why Martin may think that he has a shot: Carnahan is part of a local aristocracy, and frankly? It’s starting to show.

Yes, this is the representative who is being yelled at by his constituents via their electronic building signs because they think that it’s the only way to get Carnahan’s attention – and as the video above demonstrates, they’re wrong. Not even that worked. The video found here also illustrates the situation nicely, I think: Carnahan is so used to having to simply go through the motions to retain his seat that criticism and dissent merely roll off of him, like water off of a duck’s back. Watch and listen to those videos again. He doesn’t dismiss his opponents so much as he doesn’t notice that they’re talking. Which is why (H/T: Instapundit) the St Louis Tea Party people are going to try to get his attention again today (10 AM, 4100 Gravois, St. Louis, MO 63116), this time over the Cash-for-Clunker program. Because, oddly enough, Russ Carnahan‘s not actually an aristocrat, even if he is part of the Other America.